Pride answered for me. “Should be done in a jiffy.”
“Sure you will.”
I met his eyes, amassing words that should have been spoken a long time sooner. Maybe even the dregs of an explanation. Half an explanation. The phone ringing broke the tension before I could speak, the trill sounding right through the building.
I waited for him to answer, but instead he shoved the handset in my direction. I rolled my eyes at him as I picked up.
“Club Explicit, Faye speaking.”
I floundered around for a pad, be damned if I was passing the call onto him. Saffron, food poisoning, won’t be in. I hung up with athanks for letting us know.Usknow.
“That was Saffron, said she won’t be in this evening.”
“Better get cover, then.”
“You’re seriously going to be like this? It’s a bit pissing childish.” I folded my arms.
“Filing cabinet in the corner. Top drawer. Find a replacement.”
“Jesus Christ, Andy.” The file was full of names I didn’t recognise. My stomach churned as reality struck. As if I could just walk back in like nothing had happened. Tears pricked. Stupid tears. I coughed them back before I returned to my seat, poring over names and photos and job titles until I found a potential. I lifted the handset, began to dial, but he reached over for thecall endbutton before it connected.
“You can’t come back, Faye. Power share never works. I’m in charge here now.”
I slapped his fingers away. “We’ll have to make it work. I’m back in. Co-owner, just like the director’s agreement states.”
“I’ll buy you out. Give me a few weeks to get a valuation and the cash together.”
I don’t know why the thought hurt so bad. “I don’twantout.”
“It isn’t about whatyouwant. You don’t even know this place anymore. You don’t belong here.”
“I’ll get to know.”
“So you can interfere like Lady fucking Wisdom? Trample over everything I’ve done?”
“So I cancontribute.” I sighed. “Please stop, Andy. Just stop.”
He tapped a pen on the desk, over and over. That wasn’t new. He’d always done that when he was thinking, or twitchy. “You’ve got some fucking nerve waltzing back in here. Real fucking nerve.”
I was losing him and I knew it. “I just want to help, whatever it takes until we find our feet again.” I tried another smile. “I’ll work the bar, check in coats, whatever you want...”
“Whatever I fucking want?!” His pen bounced between my hands as he launched it. “I wantyouto fuck off. I wantyouto leavemyfucking office and piss off back to whatever seedy fucking pussy den you crawled out of.” He took out his wallet as I stared, flicked through credit cards. “I’ll book you a fucking flight right now. My fucking treat, Faye, have it on me. Go fuck yourself.”
I grabbed the pen from the floor, slid it back in his direction as he clacked the keyboard with venom. “Don’t do this, Andy.”
“Tomorrow at nine. Destination Venice fucking Treviso, right?”
“Stop it...” Even the thought gave me the shivers.
“How many bags?”
Tears pricked again. I took a breath. “I didn’t want it to be like this.”
“Like what, exactly?” His eyes blazed so cold I had to look away. “You thought I’d be pleased to see you? After three fucking years? What kind of sappy fucking twat do you take me for?”
“I wanted it to be amicable, without lawyers…”
“Lawyers?! What the fuck do you think they’re going to do?!”